The purpose of this study is to identify one of the common theoretical orientations and carry out a research on when it was first developed, how it has changed with time, its modern use, its common treatment techniques and some key historical figures behind this theoretical orientation. The theoretical orientation researched in this study is Psychoanalytic Theory first developed by Sigmund Freud. The source of information for this study is a review of previous studies on various aspects of this theoretical orientation as highlighted above. The major source of the literature review is current peer-reviewed journals, books, and selected internet sources. Sigmund Freud Psychoanalytic Theory of personality has been developed by many psychologists among them Karen Horney, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung and Erik Erikson. Although they all agreed with his idea of childhood experience on personality development, they rejected his overly focus on sexuality. However, psychoanalysis has been recognized as the best tool for the study of human behavior and Sigmund has been recognized as the father of psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is not only used in the study of human behavior and emotions but also for therapy of maladaptive behaviors. Additionally, there are various techniques that have been developed to aid in psychoanalysis including dream analysis, free association and Freudian analysis. The research on psychoanalysis is ongoing and more developments are likely in the future.
Psychoanalytic Theory
Introduction
Psychoanalytic theory is a personality theory based on the concept of unconscious factors that cause emotions and behavior in individuals. These unconscious elements are capable of causing unpleasant behaviors and emotions expressed in symptoms including difficulty in socializing, disturbing personality traits, or disturbances in general disposition. Psychoanalytic theory guided psychoanalysis, which is a clinical method for treating psychopathology (Beystehner, 2018). Psychoanalysis treatment analyzes effects of the unconscious factors on individual relationships, general mental health and behavioral patterns and general mental health. The treatment traces the origin of the unconscious factors, shows how these factors have changed and developed over time and then helps the individuals in overcoming the challenges resulting from these factors (Elzer " Gerlach, 2014). Psychoanalysis is not only a therapy but also a method of understanding how the mind functions as well as the stages of growth and development. Psychoanalysis generally explains human behaviors and experience. Therefore, the psychoanalytic therapist needs to have a deeper understanding of psychoanalysis including its origin, how it has changed, its modern use and its common treatment techniques for optimal application in psychopathology and understanding human behaviors.
History of Psychoanalysis Theory
Psychoanalysis theory was first developed by Sigmund Freud in the late 19th century. He developed many theories on the workings of human mind becoming the first to recognize the influence of the unconscious mind. "Psychoanalysis" was a term coined by Sigmund Freud in and thereafter spent almost the rest of his life developing the concept (Eysenck " Brysbaert, 2018). Although psychoanalysis was met with resistance by many psychologists, by 1925 the theory had been accepted worldwide and Freud recognized as the leading expert in psychoanalysis.
Changes and Development of Psychoanalytic Theory
According to Sigmund Freud, human personality develops from the interactions of id, ego, and superego. He claimed that the three structures are in constant conflicts and human attempt to strike a balance between the desires of these structures determines their perspective on the world and their behavior. He believed that the conflicts among the three structures change as one grows from childhood to adulthood (Benjamin, 2017). Freud proposed that the conflicts are identified in each of the five psychosexual stages which include latency, oral, phallic, anal, and genital. Each stage has a conflict between a biological drive and moral and social conscience of the child. Therefore, children will try to resolve the conflict which determines how well they will cope and function in future as adults. Inability to resolve a conflict leads to unhealthy personality if the child is fixated. However, a child grows into an adult with healthy personality if the resolution is successful.
Although Freud contributed significantly to the field of psychology through his work on the psychoanalytic theory of personality, his work is not without scrutiny. Many psychologists have criticized his work for his overemphasis on sexuality (Benjamin, 2017). Consequently, many theorists over time have adopted and developed on his ideas to come up with new theories of personality. Neo-Freudians as they are commonly known accepted the idea that childhood experiences are significant but did not emphasize more on sex and sexuality like Freud. Instead, Neo-Freudians emphasized more on how social environment and culture shape personality development rather than the biological approach to personality development.
Modern Use of Psychoanalytic Theory
Psychoanalytic theory guides psychoanalysis which has clinical application in treating psychopathologies such as depression and anxiety disorders such as post-traumatic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias and panic attacks (Ferro, 2012). Psychoanalysis utilizes the assumption that the current maladaptive disorder can be traced to deep-seated personality factors. The aim is to help the patient to relate their behaviors to certain childhood experiences or to reunite with their id impulses.
Common Neo-Freudians of Psychoanalytic Theory
Many psychologists have adapted and expanded on Freudian theory of psychoanalysis. Such psychologists are commonly known as Neo-Freudians. However, some key Neo-Freudians figures include Karen Horney, Alfred Adler, Carl Jung and Erik Erikson (Benjamin, 2017). Each of them had a unique contribution to the theory of personality development. Erickson proposed the psychosocial theory of development which emphasized the importance of social interaction at each stage of personality development. Moreover, he came up with eight stages of personality development (Eysenck " Brysbaert, 2018). Alfred Adler proposed a comprehensive social theory of a psychodynamic person. He believed that people act to compensate for feelings of inferiority. Additionally, he emphasized the significance of social interactions on child development. Karen Harney focused on unconscious anxiety which she believed had its source from childhood experiences of isolation, loneliness and unmet needs. She further suggested that a child adopt any of these three mechanisms in an attempt to cope with anxiety including moving against persons, moving away from persons or moving towards persons. Further, she disagreed with the Freudian idea of penis envy to girls but proposed on womb envy for men (Benjamin, 2017). Carl Jung proposed a personality theory called analytical psychology. He developed the concept of persona which results from the interaction of the conscious and unconscious. He concluded that the persona hides the parts that are not in line with the societal expectations behind the mask.
Psychoanalysis Treatment Techniques
These are techniques used to encourage clients to develop insight into their behaviors and the meanings of symptoms. Some of the common techniques include Freudian slip, free association, and dream analysis. Freudian slip is the belief that the unconscious mind can move into the conscious mind by slips of the tongue. Freud believed that there are no accidents and slips of the tongue could help identify the content of the unconscious mind (Ferro, 2012). Free association involves reading of several words by the therapist and the client would respond with the first word in their mind. It is believed that portions of unconscious mind will come out during the free association practice. Dream analysis involves unraveling the underlying meaning of a dream. Freud proposed that the conscious mind is less vigilant during sleep enabling the repressed mind to surface. He further proposes that each dream has a sexual importance and expounded on the hidden meaning of common themes in a dream.
Conclusion
Sigmund Freud is believed to be the father of psychoanalytic theory. However, his ideas have been adopted and expanded by other psychologists commonly called Neo-Freudians. Psychoanalysis is the clinical application of the psychoanalytic theory in the treatment of psychopathologies such as anxiety disorders and depression. However, psychoanalysis is not only a therapy but has also been used to understand human behavior and emotions. With continued research on psychoanalysis, more developments are likely to occur in the future.
References
Benjamin, L. T. (2017). A brief history of modern psychology. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Beystehner, K. M. (2018). Psychoanalysis: Freud's revolutionary approach to human personality. Retrieved March, 8, 2018.
Elzer, M., " Gerlach, A. (2014). Psychoanalytic psychotherapy: A handbook.
Eysenck, M. W., " Brysbaert, M. (2018). Fundamentals of cognition. Routledge.
Ferro, A. (2012). Psychoanalysis as Therapy and Storytelling. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
